BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the government does not want the BNP to stage rally in Nayapaltan on 10 December because the divisional rallies made it panic. 

"They (Govt) don't want to allow us to rally in Nayapaltan as they are having nightmares seeing our divisional rallies," he said while addressing BNP's ninth divisional rally at the Central Eidgah in Rajshahi Saturday (3 December).

The veteran BNP leader reiterated that his party will participate in upcoming national election under a neutral government.

"Sheikh Hasina's government must resign, parliament must be dissolved, and a new election commission must be formed," he said 

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also claimed that the 10 December rally will take place at Nayapaltan. 

"We've held rallies there before and will hold it once again peacefully," he added.

Fakhrul alleged that the government itself is staging various incidents and accusing BNP workers in false cases.

Tens of thousands of BNP leaders and activists -- defying restrictions -- joined the rally that formally began around 11:30am on Saturday morning amid an all-out transport strike. 

Procession participants were seen holding the party symbol sheaf of paddy and the photos of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son, the party's acting chairperson, Tarique Rahman.

Rally organisers kept two chairs empty on the main rally stage for Khaleda, and Tarique, both convicted over corruption charges, as a symbolic gesture.  

Meanwhile, locals in Rajshahi reported that they were facing difficulties in using mobile internet services since Saturday morning ahead of the rally. 

According to sources, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) issued a letter directing the country's telecom operators to keep the 3G and 4G data services shut in the region from 9:30am to 8pm Saturday.

Journalists of different media houses, who gathered in Rajshahi to cover BNP's divisional rally, also claimed to have faced slow internet services.

BNP activists alleged harassment by police and Awami League activists at different points on their way to Rajshahi.

Law enforcers took adequate measures to maintain the law and order situation in and around the city centring the BNP rally.

Also, check-posts were set up at all entry points of the city with plainclothes police patrolling important locations.